ISSN:
1040-452X
Keywords:
Sperm-egg interaction
;
Fusion ability
;
Cyclohexamide
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Previous studies have demonstrated that protease treatment of zona-free mouse eggs impairs sperm-egg interaction (Boldt et al.: Biol Reprod 39:19-27. 1988) and causes modification of a 94 kD egg plasma membrane protein (Boldt et al., Gamete Res 23:91-101, 1989), In this report, the ability of eggs to recover penetration ability following protease treatment was examined. Zona-free mouse eggs were isolated and treated with either trypsin or chymotrypsin (1 mg/ml, 20 min), then cultured for 0, 3, or 6 hr before insemination. Eggs cultured for 3 or 6 hr displayed significantly higher penetration levels than eggs inseminated immediately after protease treatment, indicating a recovery of penetration ability during the 3 or 6 hr incubation period. The recovery of penetration ability was not blocked by inclusion of cyclohexamide (50 μg/ml) during the 3 or 6 hr culture period, indicating that protein synthesis was not required for recovery of fusion ability. Cell surface radiolabeling studies with 125I revealed that a 94 kD cell surface protein was lost immediately following trypsin or chymotrypsin treatment but was found on the egg surface after the 3 or 6 hr recovery period. Recovery of the 94 kD egg surface protein occurred in the presence of cyclohexamide, and metabolic radiolabeling studies with 35S-methionine confirmed that synthesis of a 94 kD protein was blocked by cyclohexamide. These results suggest that the recovery of penetration ability after protease treatment of zona-free eggs is due to recovery of the 94 kD cell surface protein, providing further evidence for the involvement of the 94 kD protein in sperm-egg interaction. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Additional Material:
3 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mrd.1080330107
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